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Tower collapse theory challenged

By Duncan Graham-Rowe

THE US National Institute of Standards and Technology will soon be testing a controversial theory about the collapse of the World Trade Center towers.

According to an analysis by a leading fire-safety expert, had the fire-proofing insulation on the towers’ steel structures been thicker, the towers would have survived longer and might even have remained standing after they were hit by the hijacked planes. The work is being seized on by lawyers representing victims’ families and insurance companies.

If confirmed, it could also lead to changes in building codes. NIST is responsible for drawing up the final …